AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIA

Dan Koop, 31, visiting from Melbourne, Australia

Why are you an Australia fan? My mates and I support our hometown team, Melbourne Victory, and naturally follow the Australian team, too. Most fans in Australia would have two teams they follow, Australia and the country of their heritage. For me that second team would be the Netherlands, but for many it's Italy, Greece or England.

What do you love about your team? When we qualified for the 2006, World Cup we hadn't been to the finals since 1974, and I'd seen them fall at the final hurdle a few times. I think that day was a moment when people of all ages, cultures and affinities for other sports just got behind the national team and saw it as a great unifying focal point.

How big would you say the Australia team fan base is in Chicago? As far as I know it's just me and my brother travelling through at the moment, but I bet there are some Aussie fans out there—we seem to be in every other coffee shop!

Where do you like to watch games? Usually at the pub

Our team will win the World Cup because … of a huge Yellow Fever outbreak that decimates each other squad—it's our only hope, we'll be lucky to score given our competition in the group phase!

During games, we have to drink/eat … A cold beer and a barbecue snag [sausage].

If you watch only one player on our team, make sure it's … Tommy Oar, he's our fastest attacking player and best with the ball at his feet—watch for his crosses into the box for Tim Cahil to nod home!

Dan Koop, 31, visiting from Melbourne, Australia

Why are you an Australia fan? My mates and I support our hometown team, Melbourne Victory, and naturally follow the Australian team, too. Most fans in Australia would have two teams they follow, Australia and the country of their heritage. For me that second team would be the Netherlands, but for many it's Italy, Greece or England.

What do you love about your team? When we qualified for the 2006, World Cup we hadn't been to the finals since 1974, and I'd seen them fall at the final hurdle a few times. I think that day was a moment when people of all ages, cultures and affinities for other sports just got behind the national team and saw it as a great unifying focal point.

How big would you say the Australia team fan base is in Chicago? As far as I know it's just me and my brother travelling through at the moment, but I bet there are some Aussie fans out there—we seem to be in every other coffee shop!

Where do you like to watch games? Usually at the pub

Our team will win the World Cup because … of a huge Yellow Fever outbreak that decimates each other squad—it's our only hope, we'll be lucky to score given our competition in the group phase!

During games, we have to drink/eat … A cold beer and a barbecue snag [sausage].

If you watch only one player on our team, make sure it's … Tommy Oar, he's our fastest attacking player and best with the ball at his feet—watch for his crosses into the box for Tim Cahil to nod home!

Dan Koop, 31, visiting from Melbourne, Australia

Why are you an Australia fan? My mates and I support our hometown team, Melbourne Victory, and naturally follow the Australian team, too. Most fans in Australia would have two teams they follow, Australia and the country of their heritage. For me that second team would be the Netherlands, but for many it's Italy, Greece or England.

What do you love about your team? When we qualified for the 2006, World Cup we hadn't been to the finals since 1974, and I'd seen them fall at the final hurdle a few times. I think that day was a moment when people of all ages, cultures and affinities for other sports just got behind the national team and saw it as a great unifying focal point.

How big would you say the Australia team fan base is in Chicago? As far as I know it's just me and my brother travelling through at the moment, but I bet there are some Aussie fans out there—we seem to be in every other coffee shop!

Where do you like to watch games? Usually at the pub

Our team will win the World Cup because … of a huge Yellow Fever outbreak that decimates each other squad—it's our only hope, we'll be lucky to score given our competition in the group phase!